Douglas Ralph Hiscano of Stag Lake, Andover, N.J., passed away unexpectedly at his home on Harbour Island in The Bahamas on Feb. 28, 2026. He was 66 years old.
The third of four children, Doug was born on Dec. 4, 1959 to Margaret Hiscano (née von Lengerke) and Ralph A. Hiscano in Orange, and later raised in Short Hills, N.J. He attended The Pingry School starting in 1971 and graduated with the class of 1977. There he developed into a standout athlete, competing at the varsity level in soccer, winter track and lacrosse. His 1977 Pingry men’s lacrosse team stands in the school’s esteemed Athletic Hall of Fame for their winning record. After Pingry, Doug attended Wesleyan University in Middletown, Ct., where he majored in economics and continued on as a three-sport collegiate athlete, adding squash to his repertoire. Doug was an active member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and was elected Captain of both the varsity soccer and lacrosse teams his senior year. He graduated in 1981.
Shortly afterwards, Doug moved to New York City to pursue a career on Wall Street. He worked first at Chemical Bank, then Shearson Lehman Brothers, where he began to specialize in OTC options. In 1986, he joined Smith Barney, where he founded an OTC debt options trading desk and was later promoted to the newly-formed Derivatives Products Department, where he was quick to excel. In 1995, Doug was hired as a Managing Director in Derivatives at Bear Stearns. He left for Comerzbank Securities in 1999. In 2000, he was hired as Managing Director of Marketing for Corporate Equity Derivatives at Banc of America Securities. He took his final position on Wall Street in 2002 as a Senior Equity Structurer at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein. Doug retired in 2003 at the age of 43.
In his retirement Doug was a State Champion varsity ski team coach at The Pingry School (2008-2010); the Owner, Operator, and Sole Proprietor of Black Bear Maple Syrup (at the time, New Jersey’s largest operation with over 700 taps); and a patron of numerous charitable endeavors—largely focused on historic preservation and land conservation. He spent countless hours working on the family farm in Andover N.J., and restoring his historic homes in Basking Ridge N.J., Nantucket, Mass., and in The Bahamas. Primarily self-taught, Doug was a confident and determined craftsman, an expert stone mason, accomplished carpenter, and a devoted gardener. A lifelong athlete, Doug played competitive soccer well into his 40s on the elite Mendham Arsenal team, hiked almost daily and was a gifted skier (particularly moguls) up until his untimely death. Among his many, many talents, Doug was also a skilled investor, thoughtful chess player, capable sailor, voracious reader, and a loving father. Doug Hiscano will be remembered for his tireless work ethic, innate charisma, generous spirit, mischievous sense of humor, and his love of fireworks.
Doug is survived by his two children, Kelsey Hiscano of Brooklyn N.Y., and Garrett Hiscano of Andover N.J.; three siblings: Margaret “Peggy” H. McDermott (Jack McDermott) of Riverside Ct.; Peter Hiscano (Lisa Hiscano) of Madison N.J.; and Dwight Hiscano (Nancy Hiscano) of Summit N.J.; six nephews; two nieces; and many cousins and friends both in the U.S. and the Bahamas. He is predeceased by his parents, Ralph and Margaret Hiscano. Doug will be greatly missed.
